this invention relates to disposable toothpicks, dental floss and toothbrushes for cleaning teeth and removing plaque.
Toothpicks are beneficial dental devices. They are small and easy to carry. However, when they are carried unprotected in the pocket, they become dirty and are not sanitary. Because toothpicks are sharply pointed objects, they could penetrate the user's clothing and could cause discomfort or pain to the user when they engage the adjoining body portion or skin.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,040,433 to Edison, U.S. Pat. No. 5,076,301 to Sulskis, U.S. Pat. No. 6,418,940 to Tcherny, toothpicks are enclosed in protective sanitary containers.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 4,800,905 to Stuart, the toothpick case used as a handle. However, after taking out a toothpick from the case, it is necessary to mount the toothpick to the case in order to use the case as a handle.
Known sanitary containers storing more than one toothpick could be easily contaminated during taking out of the container even the very first toothpick, especially, when the user has no possibility to wash his or her hands before doing it. A toothpick which is taken out could be contaminated as well.
There are known combinations of toothpicks and dental floss, for example U.S. Pat. Application No. 2006/0070636 to Peters describes a toothpick with a length of dental floss wound around it. Most of such devices need sanitary cases to protect both toothpick and dental floss.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,915,392 to Isaac, the described combination of a toothpick and dental floss holds the floss inside the toothpick. However, the toothpick itself needs a sanitary container. The toothpick has a perforated area or break point near its middle. When the toothpick is broken a useable length of dental floss is exposed, however, the surfaces of the broken ends are not safe especially for children users because the may result in pricking the user's face, his or her mouth or hands.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,174,314 to Charatan and to U.S. Pat. No. 4,403,625 to Sanders, the described devices contain floss in housings with pointed ends to be used as toothpicks. However, the housings if they are used as toothpicks need sanitary containers. In order to release the floss, the parts of the housing should be separated. The patents teach to clean teeth with floss attached to parts with pointed ends which is not safe especially for children users because it may result in pricking the user's face or his or her mouth.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 7,182,542 to Douglas Hohlbein, the described disposable device includes a toothbrush with portion of gel, a handle with one end pointed to be used as a toothpick. The device needs a sanitary container. When the toothpick is used, the toothbrush could be contaminated and vice versa.
According to U.S. Pat. No. 5,975,901 to Joseph H. Kennedy, the described combination toothpick holder and toothpick has handle 12 made as a tube in which a plurality of toothpick ends 14 are inserted, stored and used. After a toothpick 14 is used, it is removed from end 18 and reinserted in end 20. When all of the toothpicks 14 have been used, they are removed from handle 12, cleaned and reinserted, or completely replace with a new unused refill package of toothpicks. The handle 12 holds and supports toothpicks 14. The toothpick's base 26 has a cavity called groove 30 which has larger diameter than base 28 of the adjacent toothpick inserted into the groove as described in the disclosure and shown in the FIG. 3. There is no any connection and, therefore, nor any holding force between the base 28 and the groove 30. The groove 30 is made to nest the base 28 inside it, but it does not hold the base 28. The toothpicks 14 are stacked inside the tubular handle and are held by the handle. The toothpicks do not hold each other and will fall apart without the holder/handle 12. The holder/handle 12 not only complicates the device but also brings sanitary problems. The used toothpick cannot be discarded after its use. They have to be inserted in the other end of the holder/handle 12. By inserting a used toothpick at one end of the tubular holder-handle, a user pushes all toothpicks in the tube forward exposing a clean toothpick at the other end of the holder/handle 12. The need to push all toothpicks inside the holder/handle 12 every time to expose a clean toothpick complicates the use of the device. Another disadvantage is the need keep all dirty used toothpicks inserted back into the holder/handle until all toothpicks are used. The used toothpicks stored in the holder/handle become incubators for bacteria and mold that spread everywhere inside the holder/handle tube and inhaled by the user of the device while cleaning teeth with a clean toothpick. Also, there is a danger that a used toothpick can be used again when all toothpicks in the holder/handle are used and the user did not pay attention to the last clean toothpick has been used.
Many users especially users with braces correcting the position of their teeth are recommended to clean their teeth and braces after each meal. They need to use disposable dental devices, however, existing disposable dental devices are not safe enough, sanitary and attractive.